by on 
Dozens of the bills we passed during the 2026 session officially become law this Wednesday, and I want to walk you through what’s changing.
Here’s the quick background. We passed more than 190 bills during this year’s 60-day session, and more than half of them take effect on July 15. Our state constitution says new laws kick in 90 days after we adjourn, unless a bill has a special date, is a budget measure, or includes an emergency clause that makes it law right away. We wrapped up the session on April 15, so July 15 is the effective date for most of what we did.
I won’t pretend I love every one of these, and I’ll always be straight with you about that. But you deserve to know what’s actually taking effect, so here’s a plain-language look at some of the big ones.
Affordable Housing (HB 333): Faith-based organizations can now build small-scale affordable housing on property near their religious institutions.
Alternative Diplomas (HB 562): High school students with intellectual disabilities get a new alternative diploma option so they’re counted as graduates, not dropouts. The state will also build a one-stop resource showing which Kentucky employers recognize the diploma.
Alternative Sentencing (SB 122): Most of this one comes later in the year, but the parts taking effect now require courts to consider alternative sentences for certain nonviolent felonies when the defendant is the primary caretaker of a child. The goal is keeping families together.
Campaign Finance (HB 136): Candidates and officeholders can now use campaign funds for reasonable security costs for themselves and their families.
Child Pornography (HB 366): Expands the law to include computer-generated images of a minor, and requires anyone convicted of possessing or viewing this material to serve at least 85% of their sentence.
Child Welfare (HB 778): Several changes here. It works to keep foster kids out of homes with anyone on the sex offender registry, and it adds child injuries caused by ingesting or inhaling a controlled substance to the definition of neglect.
Concealed Carry (HB 312): Kentuckians ages 18 to 20 can now get a provisional concealed carry permit after a background check and firearms training.
Crystal Rogers Act (HB 305): Strengthens penalties for illegally recording or sharing information from grand jury proceedings.
Death Penalty Regulations (SB 251): Gives the Department of Corrections the option to set execution protocols through internal policy rather than formal administrative regulations.
Federal Education Opportunity Program (HB 1): Clears the way for Kentucky to take part in the new federal education tax credit program. Taxpayers can contribute up to $1,700 to scholarship organizations that help K-12 students, and receive a matching federal tax credit.
Food is Medicine (SJR 23): Declares Kentucky a “Food is Medicine” state and directs agencies to advance related initiatives.
Fraudulent Contractors (SB 153): This one protects homeowners after severe weather. It makes clear that vandalism done to file an insurance claim is fraud, creates a post-disaster registry for roofing, siding, and tree-removal businesses, and bans door-to-door solicitations during declared emergencies.
Gaming (HB 904): A broad overhaul of our wagering and gaming laws. Among a lot of provisions, it raises the sports wagering age from 18 to 21, blocks anyone on the child support arrearage list from betting online, builds a licensing framework for fantasy sports, and adds new protections for the horse industry.
Grooming (HB 4): Criminalizes efforts to manipulate a minor into sexual contact with an adult.
Ibogaine Research (SB 77): Creates a research fund at the Department of Agriculture to study using ibogaine to treat substance use disorders and other conditions.
Impaired Driving (SB 66): Someone who refuses a blood test in an impaired driving case will have their license suspended at arraignment. It also adds clonazepam, cyclobenzaprine, and fentanyl to the list of drugs that can lead to a conviction.
Impeding a First Responder (SB 104): Creates a 25-foot safe zone around police, firefighters, and other first responders while they work, with penalties for anyone who ignores a warning to step back and intends to interfere.
Interstate Compacts (HB 36): Lets Kentucky join licensure compacts for respiratory therapists, athletic trainers, and dieticians, making it easier for them to practice here.
Kentucky-Grown Agricultural Products (SB 5): Makes it easier for our schools to buy locally grown food for student meals.
Kentucky State Police (SB 278): Allows troopers to take approved off-duty law enforcement work for public entities, state-funded entities, and certain ticketed events.
License Plate Readers (HB 58): Limits license plate readers mostly to public safety uses and requires captured data to be deleted after 90 days, with limited exceptions.
Logan’s Law (HB 422): Clarifies the insanity defense and makes repeat violent offenders ineligible for mandatory reentry supervision. It was filed after the man who killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton was released early on that supervision.
Medicaid Delivery Study (SCR 9): Directs a study of accountable care models used for Medicaid in other states, and whether we could pilot one here to control costs and improve outcomes.
Mental Health Care (HB 178): Supports a collaborative care model so primary care providers, care managers, and psychiatrists can work together on a patient’s mental health.
Nuclear Energy (SB 57): Creates a pilot program to help energy providers with site work for nuclear projects, with up to $25 million in grants for each of three projects.
Pesticide Labeling (SB 199): For products with an agricultural use label, an EPA-approved warning label now meets the legal duty to warn consumers.
Prison Education Programs (HB 5): Builds a vocational training campus at Northpoint Training Center through a partnership between KCTCS and Corrections, aimed at reducing repeat offenses and supporting workforce development.
Provisional Physician Licenses (SB 137): Lets the medical board issue a provisional license to a physician who trained abroad and has a job offer in an underserved area.
Physician Shortages (SJR 116): Directs UK, U of L, and EKU to coordinate on real solutions to physician shortages in underserved areas.
Real Estate Fraud (HB 264): Creates a legal presumption of fraud when someone advertises property for sale or rent without owning it or having authority to.
School Administrator Salaries (SB 2): Administrators can’t get a percentage raise larger than the one classroom teachers in their district receive, unless their duties significantly change, with a waiver process for certain cases.
School Bus Safety (HB 7): Districts can install cameras on buses to help enforce stop-arm violations.
School District Governance (SB 1): Revamps the governance structure for large, complex districts like Jefferson County, spelling out responsibilities for superintendents and boards.
School Leadership (SB 4): Creates a leadership and mentorship training program for new principals.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (HB 134): Works to expand the availability of these examiners statewide, with a coordinator to recruit and train nurses and improve collaboration between hospitals, law enforcement, and rape crisis centers.
Stalking (HB 521): Modernizes our stalking laws to better address behavior that happens through electronic communication and social media.
Status Offenders (SB 170): Creates a four-year pilot in up to 10 districts to address barriers to school attendance and strengthen support for students and families.
Storm Shelter Rebates (SB 11): Creates a pilot rebate program to help homeowners pay for building emergency storm shelters using FEMA matching funds.
Student Violence (SB 101): Requires school boards to expel students in grades 6 through 12 for at least 12 months for certain violent acts against a district employee, with some exceptions for students with disabilities.
Tax Money (SB 59): Prohibits tax dollars from being used to advocate for or against a ballot question, with penalties for violations.
Organ Donors (HB 510): Adds verification steps to protect patients during the organ donation process, including confirming consent and a formal declaration of death before donation.
Veteran PTSD (HB 369): Makes veterans eligible for hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
That’s a lot, I know. If any of these affect you or your family and you’ve got questions, my door is open. Reach out anytime. That’s what I’m here for.
